Bible: Genesis 41:1-57

Joseph’s Rise to Power

41:1At the endof two full years1Pharaohhad a dream.2As he was standingbythe Nile,41:2sevenfine-looking, fatcowswere coming upout ofthe Nile,3and they grazedin the reeds.41:3Thensevenbad-looking, thincowswere coming upafterthem fromthe Nile,4and they stoodbesidethe other cowsatthe edgeof the river.541:4The bad-looking, thincowsatethe sevenfine-looking, fatcows. Then Pharaohwoke up.

41:5Then he fell asleepagain and had a seconddream: Therewere sevenheads of graingrowing6on onestalk, healthy7and good.41:6Then8sevenheads of grain, thinand burnedby the east wind, were sproutingup afterthem.41:7The thinheadsswallowedup the sevenhealthyand fullheads. Then Pharaohwokeup and realizedit was a dream.9

41:8In the morninghe10 was troubled, sohe calledfor11 allthe diviner-priests12of Egyptand allits wisemen. Pharaohtoldthem his dreams,13but noone could interpret14themfor him.1541:9Thenthe chiefcupbearersaidto Pharaoh, “TodayIrecallmy failures.1641:10Pharaohwas enragedwith his servants, and he putme in prisonin the houseof the captainof the guards– me and the chiefbaker.41:11We each hada dreamonenight; eachof us hada dreamwith its own meaning.1741:12Now a young man, a Hebrew, a servant18of the captainof the guards,19was withus there. We toldhim our dreams,20and he interpretedthe meaning of each of our respective dreamsfor us.2141:13It happenedjust ashe had said22 to us – Pharaoh23 restored me to my office, but he impaled the baker.”24

41:14ThenPharaohsummoned25Joseph. So they brought him quicklyoutof the dungeon; he shavedhimself, changedhis clothes, and camebeforePharaoh.41:15PharaohsaidtoJoseph, “I had a dream,26and there is noone who can interpret27it. But Ihave heardaboutyou, that28 you can interpretdreams.”2941:16Josephrepliedto Pharaoh, “It is not withinmy power,30 but Godwill speak concerning31the welfareof Pharaoh.”32

41:17ThenPharaohsaid toJoseph, “In my dreamIwas standing33bythe edgeof the Nile.41:18Thensevenfatand fine-lookingcowswere coming upout ofthe Nile, and they grazedin the reeds.3441:19Then35sevenothercowscame upafterthem; they were scrawny, verybad-looking, and lean. I had neverseensuch bad-lookingcows36 as these in allthe landof Egypt!41:20The lean, bad-lookingcowsateup the seven37fatcows.41:21When they had eatenthem,38 noone would have known39thatthey had doneso, for they were just as bad-lookingas before. Then I woke up.41:22I also sawin my dream40sevenheads of graingrowingon onestalk, fulland good.41:23Then41sevenheads of grain, witheredand thinand burnedwith the east wind, were sprouting upafterthem.41:24The thinheads of grainswallowedup the sevengoodheads of grain. So I toldall this42 to the diviner-priests, but noone could tellme its meaning.”43

41:25Then Josephsaid toPharaoh, “Both dreamsof Pharaohhavethe samemeaning.44 Godhas revealed45to Pharaohwhat he is about to do.4641:26The sevengoodcowsrepresent sevenyears, and the sevengoodheads of grainrepresentsevenyears. Both dreamshave the samemeaning.4741:27The sevenlean, bad-lookingcowsthat came upafterthem represent sevenyears, as do the sevenemptyheads of grainburnedwith the east wind. They represent48sevenyearsof famine.41:28This isjustwhatI told49Pharaoh: Godhas shownPharaohwhathe is aboutto do.41:29Sevenyearsof greatabundanceare comingthroughout the wholelandof Egypt.41:30But sevenyearsof faminewill occur50afterthem, and allthe abundancewill be forgottenin the landof Egypt. The faminewill devastate51the land.41:31The previousabundanceof the landwill notbe remembered52 becauseof the faminethatfollows, forthe famine will be verysevere.5341:32The dreamwas repeatedtoPharaoh54becausethe matterhas been decreed55by God, and Godwill makeit happen soon.56

41:33 “So nowPharaohshould look57for a wiseand discerningman58and give him authority59overall the landof Egypt.41:34Pharaohshould do60 this – he should appoint61 officials62 throughout the land to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt63 during the seven years of abundance.41:35They should gatherallthe excess food64during thesegoodyearsthat are coming. By Pharaoh’sauthority65 they should store upgrainso the citieswill have food,66and they should preserveit.6741:36This foodshould beheld in storagefor the landin preparation for the sevenyearsof faminethatwilloccur throughout the landof Egypt. In this way the landwill survive the famine.”68